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I was at Target yesterday and saw the Easter section and I was curious about the occasion and how many people actually celebrate it.
I googled it and found this website and it stated that 80% of American adults will be celebrating this year. That's huge! It's a religious occasion but it's not even in the Bible.

I think the way Christians in Europe appropriated/incorporated pre-existing pagan holidays/rituals is fascinating but I think the idea that Easter -- as celebrated by modern Christians -- has nothing to do with Jesus is clearly wrong. They kept the pagan name (well, except the Eastern Orthodox) and some of those pagan-y aspects and substituted a lot of other symbolism about the resurrection. The relationship between any modern Christian holiday and the gospels or 1st century Christian practice is tenuous at best, but that's true across the board.

Some Christians become very uncomfortable with that history and so reject the idea of "Easter" as a Christian holiday. Others really want to practice something they believe to be "authentic" early Christianity so they reject other ideas. Other Christians don't particularly mind about any of this. I think pretty much everyone would benefit from knowing more of the history just because I think it helps illustrate how religious practice is created by people in specific historical contexts over time. That is, it's useful as a reminder that religions are human creations, and not the pristine, internally consistent, perfect and unchanging revelation of God handed down on stone tablets once and for all.

I was at Target yesterday and saw the Easter section and I was curious about the occasion and how many people actually celebrate it.
I googled it and found this website and it stated that 80% of American adults will be celebrating this year. That's huge! It's a religious occasion but it's not even in the Bible.

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Part of the problem with holidays is that much of the so-called Christian holidays is that they were created and promoted by the Catholic church, and the rest by those who want to justify still being knee deep in the "world" and living among the heathen.

Christian doctrine says for believers to be separate from the world, yet they don't separate, but instead, they go about life like everybody else. According to sound doctrine, they are wrong. It's as if they never even read the story about the Prodigal Son. The actual doctrine says to not be like the unbelieving world. The truth is, believers are to gather socially, yes, but wherever you meet, on a street corner, in a home, etc. Not a single verse in the bible says to build church buildings.

The truth is, that these "holidays" are not Christian and have no basis in the Christian doctrine for any celebrations. They are nothing more than attempts to increase attendance and increase their financial budgets. Also, consider that many are also based on Old Testament Jewish occasions and rituals. Easter itself has some basis in the Christian doctrine, but it's not doctrinal at all. Their own god never said celebrate his rising from the dead.

What history has shown us though is that the Catholic church has been expert at incorporating various pagan practices so as to appeal to said pagans and to make it easier for those people to join the RCC cult. And we also know from the historical record, that many so-called Christians were forcing their ideas on the unbelieving via the point of a sword through the conquest of foreign lands. Heck, if it even exists, if you want to find the Ark, look to the Vatican.

As I understand the Christian doctrine, believers were never to celebrate such things as Easter (pagan adaptation), Lent (Catholic invention), and all the rest. Pagans understand rituals and idols. Old habits die hard. The churches are to this day just as ritualistic as any pagan religion.

But, it is said the god of the bible is an understanding god, right? Lots of compassion and all that. So it actually says, "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind...". I cannot count how many debates I've had over the years with other "Christians" and pastors on that topic alone. Ultimately, it boils down to the fact that it varies from person to person based on how they choose to interpret things that are written.

If a person believes a word says orange when it says white, it is only they who can change their own minds. I believe in the rights of man to believe or not.

Part of the problem with holidays is that much of the so-called Christian holidays is that they were created and promoted by the Catholic church, and the rest by those who want to justify still being knee deep in the "world" and living among the heathen.

Christian doctrine says for believers to be separate from the world, yet they don't separate, but instead, they go about life like everybody else. According to sound doctrine, they are wrong. It's as if they never even read the story about the Prodigal Son. The actual doctrine says to not be like the unbelieving world. The truth is, believers are to gather socially, yes, but wherever you meet, on a street corner, in a home, etc. Not a single verse in the bible says to build church buildings.

The truth is, that these "holidays" are not Christian and have no basis in the Christian doctrine for any celebrations. They are nothing more than attempts to increase attendance and increase their financial budgets. Also, consider that many are also based on Old Testament Jewish occasions and rituals. Easter itself has some basis in the Christian doctrine, but it's not doctrinal at all. Their own god never said celebrate his rising from the dead.

What history has shown us though is that the Catholic church has been expert at incorporating various pagan practices so as to appeal to said pagans and to make it easier for those people to join the RCC cult. And we also know from the historical record, that many so-called Christians were forcing their ideas on the unbelieving via the point of a sword through the conquest of foreign lands. Heck, if it even exists, if you want to find the Ark, look to the Vatican.

As I understand the Christian doctrine, believers were never to celebrate such things as Easter (pagan adaptation), Lent (Catholic invention), and all the rest. Pagans understand rituals and idols. Old habits die hard. The churches are to this day just as ritualistic as any pagan religion.

But, it is said the god of the bible is an understanding god, right? Lots of compassion and all that. So it actually says, "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind...". I cannot count how many debates I've had over the years with other "Christians" and pastors on that topic alone. Ultimately, it boils down to the fact that it varies from person to person based on how they choose to interpret things that are written.

If a person believes a word says orange when it says white, it is only they who can change their own minds. I believe in the rights of man to believe or not.

I think the way Christians in Europe appropriated/incorporated pre-existing pagan holidays/rituals is fascinating but I think the idea that Easter -- as celebrated by modern Christians -- has nothing to do with Jesus is clearly wrong. They kept the pagan name (well, except the Eastern Orthodox) and some of those pagan-y aspects and substituted a lot of other symbolism about the resurrection. The relationship between any modern Christian holiday and the gospels or 1st century Christian practice is tenuous at best, but that's true across the board.

Some Christians become very uncomfortable with that history and so reject the idea of "Easter" as a Christian holiday. Others really want to practice something they believe to be "authentic" early Christianity so they reject other ideas. Other Christians don't particularly mind about any of this. I think pretty much everyone would benefit from knowing more of the history just because I think it helps illustrate how religious practice is created by people in specific historical contexts over time. That is, it's useful as a reminder that religions are human creations, and not the pristine, internally consistent, perfect and unchanging revelation of God handed down on stone tablets once and for all.

2 hours ago, Lefty said:

Part of the problem with holidays is that much of the so-called Christian holidays is that they were created and promoted by the Catholic church, and the rest by those who want to justify still being knee deep in the "world" and living among the heathen.

Christian doctrine says for believers to be separate from the world, yet they don't separate, but instead, they go about life like everybody else. According to sound doctrine, they are wrong. It's as if they never even read the story about the Prodigal Son. The actual doctrine says to not be like the unbelieving world. The truth is, believers are to gather socially, yes, but wherever you meet, on a street corner, in a home, etc. Not a single verse in the bible says to build church buildings.

The truth is, that these "holidays" are not Christian and have no basis in the Christian doctrine for any celebrations. They are nothing more than attempts to increase attendance and increase their financial budgets. Also, consider that many are also based on Old Testament Jewish occasions and rituals. Easter itself has some basis in the Christian doctrine, but it's not doctrinal at all. Their own god never said celebrate his rising from the dead.

What history has shown us though is that the Catholic church has been expert at incorporating various pagan practices so as to appeal to said pagans and to make it easier for those people to join the RCC cult. And we also know from the historical record, that many so-called Christians were forcing their ideas on the unbelieving via the point of a sword through the conquest of foreign lands. Heck, if it even exists, if you want to find the Ark, look to the Vatican.

As I understand the Christian doctrine, believers were never to celebrate such things as Easter (pagan adaptation), Lent (Catholic invention), and all the rest. Pagans understand rituals and idols. Old habits die hard. The churches are to this day just as ritualistic as any pagan religion.

But, it is said the god of the bible is an understanding god, right? Lots of compassion and all that. So it actually says, "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind...". I cannot count how many debates I've had over the years with other "Christians" and pastors on that topic alone. Ultimately, it boils down to the fact that it varies from person to person based on how they choose to interpret things that are written.

If a person believes a word says orange when it says white, it is only they who can change their own minds. I believe in the rights of man to believe or not.

Oh Lefty, The Father is the only true God. Jesus is the son, therefore not God. Easter is a non Christian feast that we should not celebrate. Be persuaded n your own mind to believe these and much more as written in the Bible. incmedia.org/thatsinthebible

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Oh Lefty, The Father is the only true God. Jesus is the son, therefore not God. Easter is a non Christian feast that we should not celebrate. Be persuaded n your own mind to believe these and much more as written in the Bible. incmedia.org/thatsinthebible

Seriously? Are you actually trying to save my soul on an ex-Christian forum? I have been fully persuaded in my own mind for years thank you very much. With all due respect, you don't want to draw your sword on me of all people.

Oh Lefty, The Father is the only true God. Jesus is the son, therefore not God.

You're not Trinitarian are you?

4 hours ago, wellnamed said:

I was about to say Lefty's post is protestant as fuuuuucck but then William beat me to it

If you want a good laugh check out from time to time the Protestant website, Lutheran satire. They came out with a video rather recently on the second amendment where Martin Luther and the Pope debate. When 1:45 seconds into the video the king restores the power of the Pope and he..... lets say I rolled out of my chair:

Seriously? Are you actually trying to save my soul on an ex-Christian forum? I have been fully persuaded in my own mind for years thank you very much. With all due respect, you don't want to draw your sword on me of all people.

I'll do what I can if it means saving a soul and through whatever forum it may be. I do not wish to draw my sword on anyone, I simply want to share my faith and the peace that it's given me throughout my life.

Also, it's not I that will persuade your mind, only the Biblical truth can. Thank you for your reply, Lefty.

Trinitarian theology is considered essential soteriology. It is characteristic of cults to distort essential doctrine enough to make salvation unattainable. For example, on one hand an essential is that there's only one God Isaiah 43:10; 44:6; 44:8; 45:5 and that believing in a false God brings judgment Exodus 20:1-6. On the other hand there are those that reject God the Son John 1:1,14; Col. 2:9 and such rejection results dying in one's own sin John 8:24. Trinitarianism teaches that there is One God in Three Persons. The Three Persons are not distinct enough to have separate wills but individual enough to commune together.

All denominations agree to these essentials, for example, the truths conveyed from Scripture in the Nicene Creed are considered essential to the faith. The Nicene Creed establishes Trinitarianism. All denominations are "Christian" because they agree upon these essential truths while rejection of the truths conveyed from Scripture in the Creed are generally a tell tale, red flag, or a litmus test to orthodoxy which places an individual or congregation outside Christianity and into the class of cult or sect. Just to emphasize, a person is not placed outside of Christianity because they disagree with or reject the Nicene Creed but because they reject the essential truths conveyed from Scripture in the Creed.

I don't mean to pick you apart but just noted something of interest when reading your responses. I love theology so I'll be eager to listen to you.